Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-06-23
CALLING IN MEXICO.
Politeness and Meaningless Compliments
That Become Very Tiresome.

gentle Mexicans is sometimes but
short remove from the ridiculous, and
though their manners are kindness
personified it frequently strikes us that
Spanish compliments are as tiresome
as absurd. For example, in making a
social visit: When ladies appear at tn.
door of the sala de recibe PERCEPTION
m)-having been admitted thus far
by the porter who sits at the gate of
the casa--the hostess runs to receive
them as fast as her high heels will
allow. Mexican ladies have an air of
great dignity and perfect repose of
features when they sit and are seen to
best advantage in their carriages or the
alter boxes OF on their sofas at home.
On foot, however, they simply wobble,
and when in haste their ungraceful-
ness OF gait is of course intensified.
This is no doubt largely due to the
fact that they wear heels absurdly
high, placed almost in the center of
the foot, and always insist in wearing
a shoe at least an inch too short for the
foot.
She embraces each of her visitors in
turn. after curious fashion that took
us long to learn-not by an Americans
kiss, or Frenchwoman's hearty hug;
but each of the embraces Gf one may
be allowed to coin a word for the occa-
sion) puts her right hand upon the
Others shoulder. the left hand near the
Others heart, and leaning forward on
her toes just lays her cheek for an in
slant alongside the others neck. 1t
looks cordial, to say the least Of it, but
beginners are sure to make bad work
at first, bobbing their heads to the
wrong side and humping one another's
noses.
After this ceremony has been strictly
attended to all around-for neglecting
to embrace one of the callers would be
equivalent to giving her the worst
kind of "cut direct'-the mistress of
the manse leads the way across the
sala to the square of carpet at the
farther end, which is always bounded
on three sides by the sofa against the
wall and two rows of chairs planted
vis-a-vis. But before sitting down an
other ceremony must be gone through
with de rigueur. Says the hostess:
UPrav ha caatad ladies
"Seat yourself, senora," is the re-
Spouse.
mo, no; passa r." she replies; and
so they keep it up indefinitely until it
begins to look as though they never
would sit down. Finally the deadlock
is broken by the eldest or most conse-
quential member of the party, who,
with an air of dignified humility, re-
marks "Vaya! Well, to oblige you,
without further ceremony; l dislike
compliments.
The lady who is considered of most
consequence, either by reason Of age
or social position, is invariably seated
ON the right-hand corner of the sofa
apointin etiquette Of great Importance
and the mistress of the casa on the
farthest chair. Then the following
dialogue takes place, with never the
slightest variation:
How is your health, senoritaP Are
you wellP"
cat your service, senorita; and your
selfp'
"Sin novedad without novelty; at
your service"
II am rejoiced. And you, how are
you, senoritap"
SAT your disposal; and yourselfp"
"MU gracias Ga thousand thanks; al
your service"
After the entire round has been made
of these polite inquiries and replies
they begin over again:
"And the senior, your husband, how
is hep"
"Mil gracias; at your disposal; with
out novelty, etc., through the gamul
of all their relatives, from the grand
mothers down to the babies. Thi:
takes some time, and if early in the
morning there is the additional ques
ton, which must be put to every ont
whom you meet before midday
"Como passe v la noche?" (How die
you pass the nightly to be invariably
answered, whether well or i'll, by thu
oft repeated: "A thousand thanks; a
your service, and YOURSELF"
All these empty compliments ar,
merely tokens of good will, without
serious meaning in them, and, in fact
there is little real etiquette here, bu
the most perfect la,sses Gtler in thu
world. As everywhere else, even il
Mexico, where the temperature scarce
ly varies ten degrees in course of |
year, the weather affords legitimat,
topic for conversation. The slightes
change in the degree of heat or colt
opens the battery, and the occasional
surprise of dull skies or signs of rain i
perfect bonanza in that direction.
The visit ove-, the ladies re-embrac'
all around, the lady Of the house fol
lows her guests to the outer door, ant
again thousand compliments are Civ
en- and returned. Each refuses t.
'.passe v" ahead of the others, an,
after several minutes the friendly strif
is at last ended, as before, by the old
est lady, who says: "Vdud, to oblig
you"
Once outside they turn again, an,
each remarks to the hostess: "Senora
you know that my poor house and al
in it are at your disposal"
md qrdcias, sonora" she replies
land mine is tyours; and. though use
less, know me for your servant and com
mand me in any thing you may de
sire"
"Adios, sonora l hope you may pas